Phakisa dropped from WSBK calendar

Bikes, Quads & karts / 4 August 2014, 5:35pm

IOL Motoring Staff

An aerial view of Phakisa Freeway.

Phakisa, Free State - The South African round of the World Superbike championship, provisionally scheduled to be run at Phakisa Freeway on 19 October, has been dropped from the 2014 calendar - but could be included in 2015, possibly as early as March.

This was announced on Friday by Sivile Mabandla, chairman of promotor Gas Sports, which also runs the SuperGP National motorcycle racing series.

“Despite our best efforts and significant investment in the planning for the 2014 World Superbike meeting,” he said, “work at Phakisa Freeway required for FIM homologation had to be halted while the Free State Tourism Authority, the custodians of the circuit, formalised their additional funding requirements.

EARLY DATE IN 2015

“We will continue to work with the Free State Tourism Authority, and other invested stakeholders, in an effort to secure an early date in the 2015 World Superbike series with rights holder Dorna.

“While we are naturally disappointed the 2014 meeting will not be possible, we thank the Free State government for their efforts; we’ve seen their funding applications and we know the event is well supported by all stakeholders.”

The Phakisa round of the SuperGP National series, which was to have provided the supporting events for the World Superbike round, will still take place at the Free State circuit on 19 October, as the penultimate round of the championship.